This invention relates to new and useful improvements in motor home assemblies.
Conventional motor homes are usually self-contained and although suitable for many purposes, one of the main disadvantages is the fact that the entire unit has to be driven if it is desired to travel locally once a campground or other location has been reached.
This disadvantage of motor homes is only overcome conventionally by towing a small car behind the motor home for use when parked, but this is unsatisfactory and relatively expensive.
Relatively large trailers are often pulled by fifth wheel connections to a cab unit which means that the cab unit can be detached and use locally but this is not a particularly satisfactory solution as these cab units are often relatively large and do not provide any storage accommodation when separated from the trailer component.
The present invention overcomes disadvantages inherent with current motor home and large trailer facilities by providing a motor home assembly consisting of a van unit as a tow vehicle and a trailer or motor home unit which, when travelling as one assembly, is close-coupled to the van unit with a rigid connection so that it becomes, in effect, a complete motor home assembly.
When parked, the van component is easily detached and can be used as a vehicle for local travel having the storage capacity of a van and also can be used to tow boats and trailer units therebehind. It will be appreciated that a conventional motor home cannot tow both a small car for local use and a boat and trailer unit at the same time.
Accessibility is maintained because of complete access between the van unit and the motor home unit when connected together and the assembly is easy to drive, handle and comfortable to travel in. Because of the aerodynamic design of the coupled unit, superior gas mileage is obtainable compared to similar sized units.
One aspect of the invention is therefore to provide a motor home assembly comprising in combination a front wheel drive van unit have steerable front wheels and selectively steerable rear wheels, and a motor home unit including at least one pair of wheels, means cooperating between said van unit and said motor home unit to selectively close-couple said units together as one rigid assembly and in sealed relationship one with the other.
Another advantage of the assembly is to provide a completely versatile assembly easily separated into two units thereby permitting the motor home component or unit to be parked at a permanent site while the towing van unit is available for use as a vehicle which can be used when not connected to the motor home unit thereby saving the cost and convenience of a second vehicle.
With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a description of the best mode known to the applicant and of the preferred typical embodiment of the principles of the present invention, in which: